BHUBANESWAR: After constantly failing to achieve 100 per cent tax collection under holdings and licence accounts, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to embark upon an ambitious programme, which would see all its drains, roads and other assets documented under Geographic Information System (GIS).

The survey under GIS would help the civic body capture, store, analyse and manage data on all its assets and other structures for monitoring the tax collection.

"We will soon call a tender inviting organisations to do the GIS survey for us. Once we have the base level information on BMC's area of operation, we will put those data in a computer programme to monitor the day-to-day activities," BMC Commissioner Aparajita Sarangi said.

She said the civic body was not sure if all its holdings had been assessed. "The GIS information will help us keep tab on our 75 tax collectors. We will have readymade data if any holding was left behind to be levied," Ms Sarangi said.

Data on roads

Other than the tax collection, data on drains and roads would enable the BMC authorities to keep track on deterioration of structures and accordingly priorities could be set for its repair.

The civic body has an estimated 1,40,000 holdings in the city limit. "I think the figure is underestimated. The GIS will give us a clear picture on it," Ms Sarangi said adding that GIS data would be updated at regular interval.

The BMC commissioner claimed that the holding and licence tax collected this year was more than the last corresponding period.

"We have been able to collect Rs 7.33 crores of holding tax this year compared to Rs 5.81 crores last year. Similarly, Rs 2.27-crore licence tax has been collected till February 28, while it was Rs 1.42 crores last year," she said.

Meanwhile, in another important decision, the BMC has decided to conserve 60 water bodies in the city. A detailed project report on the conservation programme is expected to be completed by June 30.

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